A Ruby's Shine (Thorin Oakenshield X OC)

16. Revealing Small Secrets

I sighed and shook my head as Fairfin finished the grapes. If I keep thinking over her words, I am going to drive myself mad. Sadly, only time will give me the answer I search for. So, to get my mind off her riddles, I started farther into the grove, to the west of Rivendell. The sun had just set, giving the last few rays of light before the forest became lit with the white lights in the trees, casting an ethereal glow to the grove around me as I walked.

Soon I reached the familiar stones one could hop across to the other side. I quickly and easily jumped across these stones like I did as a child, glad the stream had not covered them with time. I continued across a few streams and a rather larger river that I don't remember being that wide before I found what I was looking for.

I stopped and smiled at the rock cliff, running my right hand along the carved names into the rock, Elladan, Elrohir, Arwen, Lindir, and many others who have come through here.. I stopped over the carved initials of my name in the rock, a set of knives crossed under my name that I remember carving myself into the rock, hoping it would make me feel more like I belonged here... it did not. I never felt like I belonged here.

"Who are you, really?" I suddenly heard an angry, irritated, impatient voice sound, yet still attractive even when annoyed to my own frustration. I looked and wasn't shocked to see Thorin standing there since he is one of the only people I know who can sound so grumpy and annoyed all the time.

I glared in annoyance at the royal dwarf that keeps trying to pry into my past, also annoyed that people keep on sneaking up on me without me noticing their approach. Especially since Thorin is a dwarf and I have seen that the dwarves are not quiet people.

"What do you mean?" I said in annoyance, resigned to having this conversation. Plus, I am exhausted and not really in the mood to argue away my remaining energy.

"I mean, you are an extremely short female human, the shortest I have ever seen. You display a way of talking, walking, and acting that I have only seen among nobles. You know Sindarin, elvish runes, and seem quite knowledgeable in a lot of things. Yet, with all that, you are an extremely well taught fighter. One of the best I have seen, beyond Fili, at throwing and using knives and the most skilled with a sword I have seen by a female human. So, Philomena, who are you really?" He growled, staring me down intimidatingly as he stomped forward, proving my point of dwarves being not quiet people, until he was standing a foot away from me.

He crossed his arms stared into my eyes like a test of wills. I had to tilt my head back a bit to meet his gaze since he's taller than me. His dark blue eyes were glinting like hard rock... For the first time in a very long time... I actually felt a little intimidated, and I cannot deny he is very attractive, my heart is annoyingly racing a bit. Normally people taller than me don't intimidate me, but I have the feeling that with this dwarf he could easily match or best me in a fight.

Also, I hated myself for it, but I really was drawn to his eyes. Not just for their amazing color, but the fact that they literally do glint like rock or jewels, fitting for a dwarf. I looked down quickly, covering my internal embarrassment for dropping my guard for but a second.

I frowned as I thought. I knew that I needed to get the dwarves to trust me some for this journey, trust me to guard their backs or from them to guard mine. Thus, I needed to reveal some of my past to gain their trust. Also, the hidden unknown emotions I saw under the stone cold expression in Thorin's eyes made me want to reveal some of who I am. I blinked at that, wondering what was happening to me to want to reveal my past. And why it felt warm again, like I was standing near a fire. It's strangely comforting, whatever that is, it's definitely not from a real fire as there isn't one anywhere nearby. I don't understand what that is or why it keeps happening randomly.